Perspex launches XPS sheet operation
PHOTO: XPS team – The management team of the new XPS business in Port Elizabeth includes Kyle Watkins (Business Manager, KZN/Exports), Francois van der Merwe (Business Manager, Western Cape), Bash Moodliar (Commercial Director), Stuart Hughes (Managing Director), Adrian Kemp (XPS General Manager). Not Pictured: Desiree Smith (Business Manager, Gauteng)
PERSPEX South Africa, leading manufacturer and supplier of Perspex cast acrylic sheet in South Africa since 1966, has expanded and late last year launched a new company, Xtruded Polymer Solution (XPS).
The new company was formed when the assets of Engineered Plastic Sheeting (EPS) of Port Elizabeth were bought out of liquidation in October last year by Spirit Industrial Holdings, the parent company which also owns Perspex SA, explained XPS/Perspex SA Business Manager Kyle Watkins.
Perspex’s investment for the acquisition remains undisclosed, but is believed to be significant.
Perspex SA is in the process of transforming itself from a production led organisation to a dynamic, sales-led organisation. The company boasts full-scale production cast plants in KZN as well as, through XPS, a sheet extrusion plant capable of producing a variety of extruded materials to complement the cast acrylic sheet business.
Since launching the XPS business, several changes have been made to the old EPS operation.
“XPS has a significantly different business model, as we have a national footprint of warehousing in four major regions in South Africa – Gauteng, KZN and Eastern and Western Cape – as well as a national sales and marketing network via an experienced sales team and distributor network. Synergies from the existing cast acrylic Perspex SA business model and structure will be leveraged to ensure an efficient operation with extensive valued-added services offered to the market,” said Watkins.
Perspex’s key differentiator is its operational flexibility and basket of products that it can offer the rigid sheet market in South Africa. XPS currently runs four multipurpose extrusion lines, capable of producing ABS, PST, HDPE and PP sheeting in a variety of finishes, corona treatments and thicknesses ranging from 0.5 to 10mm.
“Strategic plans are currently being devised to expand our product offering in line with the capabilities of the assets,” said Watkins.
XPS will target the vacuum forming market (both industrial and Point of Sale), commercial printing, signage, furniture, white goods and transit markets.
Heading up the new XPS operation are two of the four Perspex SA directors, Bash Moodliar and Stuart Hughes. Adrian Kemp, who has several years of sheet extrusion sales and general management experience, is responsible for the XPS site management.
Three regional business managers, Kyle Watkins (KZN/Exports), Francois van der Merwe (Western Cape/Free State) and Desiree Smith (Gauteng), will be responsible for focussed sales and marketing activities. The existing Perspex SA management team will also be significantly involved in both operational and strategic management decisions for XPS.
Due to the shared resource nature of the business, XPS employs 25 people on the operations side of the business. The remaining sales, technical and business support staff is employed by Perspex SA.
- Call XPS on tel: 031 904 8400
About Perspex SA
Perspex South Africa (Pty) Ltd has been the leading manufacturer and supplier of Perspex cast acrylic sheet in South Africa since 1966. Its head office and production plant is based in Umbogintwini Chemical Complex just south of Durban. This location forms the hub of its international operation and in addition to its cast plant production operation, houses its administration, sales and warehousing divisions.
The company is a member of the Responsible Care Initiative and also operates a ‘depolymerisation’ plant which converts scrap acrylic sheet into methyl methacrylate monomer, the primary raw material used in the production of Perspex.
Perspex South Africa has sales offices in Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg to ensure national coverage within the country’s borders, as well as international representation via a network of export agents focusing on most regions globally
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